Lifting truck



Jan. 28, 1930. R. G. HIBBARD LIFTING TRUCK Filed Feb. 21. 1928 2Sheets-Sheet -1 J2. @gf-Amma..

ATTORNEY Jan. 28, 1930.' R. G. HIBBARD v 1,744,8194

LIFTING TRUCK EqJl.

' ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 28, 1930 UYNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROWLANDGr. HIBBARD, OF MANAT'IAN, MONTANA LIFTING TRUCK Application filedFebruary 21, 1928. Serial No. 256,016.

` vision of means to impart a tilt to the auxiliary frame as it islifted to tilt-support the load for the purpose of rendering the loadmore stable during transit upon the truck and to permit lifting of astack of yboxes or the like from beside a contacting stack of boxeswithout rubbing engagement between the said stacks.

The invention further resides in the pro'- vision of novel releasablemeans to lock the auxiliary frame to its elevated position when desired.

This application is in part an original new application and, as to allmatters in common, a continuation of application for United filed by meon February 14, 1927.

@ther objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed outhereinafter. f Y

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects 'and ends, my inventionconsists in the novel details of construction, combination and ar-irangementiof parts, all of which'will be first fully described inthefollowing detaileddescription, then be particularlypointed out inVthe vappended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure l is a perspective View of the `in-r fof th'e'truckillustrating the elevated posi-- tion of the auxiliary frame.

Figure l is a vertical cross section taken approximately midway betweenthe end frame membersl7 and 18 and through the spring 26 in Figure 2. i

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail longitudinalY practic A .nections StatesLetters Patent, Serial Number 168,215, y

section illustrating the corelation of one auxiliary frame lifting trackand its associated roller. f

Figure 6 is a detail cross section taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail face view ofthe locking latch, associated`parts being broken away and in section.

Figure 8 is a diagrammaticlongitudinal section illustrating theassociation of the lifting tracks and rollers.

Figure 9 is a viewsimilar to Figure 8 illustrating a slightly modifiedarrangement 0f track and roller equipment. l Figures 10 and ll'arediagrammatic sid elevations illustrating the box stack lifting actionoccasioned by the lifting frame. 1f? My improvement is especiallyadapted for employment as a warehouse truck and has been foundespecially useful forlconveying r- -supe'rs of honey to thewareliousefwhere the combs are extracted and the honey stored. fObviously, however, the invention is not limited to this particular useand may be ally employed in various other con# f In the warehouse orother place where vsuperimposed boxes or the like are to be receivedfrom the truck `vor otherwise conveyed by thetruck I erect two spacedbeams or sills 1 that are preferably connected to ay metal connectingvplate 2. The beams are of a greater height than-the main frame of the ftruck,leaving a free unobstructedA path beneath the load supportedthereon into which i the truck may conveniently be moved. Y

In somewarehouses it is common to use supporting platforms constructedreversely of the supporting devices just above referred to, inwhichdevicesthe connecting plate is' in thenature of a supportingplatformsup- `.ported above the sills instead of connecting thesills attheir lower edges. More willbe said oftheuse of such supporting deviceslater. Y

In thepractical development of the invention I yprovide a main framewhich is in the nature of an open rectangle having an angled extensionat one end. The kmain .frame is composed" of side beams 3' of inver( edchan-7 nel construction and which are bent at the front ends as at 4 andconnected at 5 to form the said extension.

A cross connector platform (j is secured on the angled extension of themain frame and a joining angle 7 is secured across the rear ends of theside beams 3.

Suitable supporting wheels 8 are mounted on stub shafts 9 secured in theside angles 3 toward the rear ends thereof and a single caster wheel 10is carried by the cross platform 6, the said wheels serving tofacilitate transportation of the truck over the warehouse floor.

An upstanding handle structure 11 is rigidly secured to the main framein the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings andis suitably braced by an upright 12.

The side beams 3 of the mainframe have their upper faces cut out as at13 and an antifriction roller 111 is mounted in the said side beams on astud bolt 15 beneath each such cut out; portion, the purpose for whichwill later be described.

A lifting frame is provided and is constructed of side angles 16 andfront and rear cross angles 17 and 18 respectively. The vertical langesof all of the said angles being arranged inwardly so that the liftingframe may normally rest on the upper face of the main fPlme with thesaid flanges projected down in the open portion of the said main framein the manner clearly indicated in Figure 1.

Two sets of inclined tracks are provided, one set 19 being secured inany approved Inan- -ner to depend forwardly-downwardly from the frontend of the lifting platform and the other set 29 thereof being similarlycarried by 4the rear end of the said lifting platform and by referenceto Figures 3 and 8 it will be observed that the rearmost set of tracksare arranged on an angleA of inclination of from four to ten degreesless than the angle ofinclination of the foremost set 19. As the liftingframe-16 is moved longitudinally rearwardly by mechanism later to bedescribed the tracks 19 and 20 are caused to ride over the anti-frictionrollers 14 carried by the main frame, and the said lifting frame isthereby elevated above its normal position at rest on the said mainframe and by reason of the variation in inclination of the tracks 19 and2() the said lifting frame will be lifted on an incline instead ofhorizontally. See Figures 3 and 8.

Upstanding stops 21 are secured upon the frame 16 to stop furthermovement of the truck after it has been moved a suitable distance underthe load to be lifted.

A bracket 22 is secured by welding or otherwise uponthe cross plat-form6 and a bell crank operating lever 23 having a long and short arm ispivotally mounted in the said bracket. The long arm of the lever 23terminates in a foot pedal 24: and the short end of the said lever isconnected by suitable links 25 to the front cross angle 17 of thelifting frame. Thus when the foot pedal 24 is forced downwardly from theposition illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings to the positionillustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings the lifting frame will be movedlongitudinally and lifted from the normal position illustratecN inFigure 1 of the drawings to the elevated position illustrated in thesaid Figure 3. A spring 2G is provided and has one end thereof connectedat 27 to the main frame and the other end thereof connected as at 2S tothe lifting frame. The said spring thus serves to return the liftingframe to its normal position illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawingswhen pressure on the Vlever 23-24 is released.

A bracket Q9 is mounted on the angled cxtension of the main frame and alatch dog 30 is pivoted in the said bracket and serves to lock the leverQEB-Z-l in the lifting platform elevated positions as indicated inFigures 2 and 3 of the drawings. A release and holder rod 31 is pivotedoil' center to the latch dog 39 and passes through a bracket carried bythe upstanding handle. Above the bracket 32 the rod 31 is equipped witha presser head 33 and a spring Ill is interposed between the head andbracket 32 and tends to force the rod upwardly and serves to normallyhohl the latch dog in the latching position.

The latch dog 30 is provided with a cam face so positioned that when thelever QS-Q-l is pressed downwardly it will engage the said cam face andautomatically deflect the latch dog which will lock over the upper edgeof the lever after it has passed beneath the said dog as shown in Figure7. Upward movement of the rod 31 at the instance of the spring 34 islimited by a stop cotter pin 3G.

In operation, assuming the parts to be in the position illustrated inFigure 1 of the drawings, the operator moves the truck longitudinallybetween the supportiiig sills 1 and beneath the load to be lifted untilthe stops 21 engage the load assuring proper positioning thereof on thetruck when lifted. By pressing down on the foot lever 22B-2l the liftingframe 1U is moved longitudinally and the tracks 19 and 2O thereof arecaused to ride up on the anti-friction rollers 14 serving to elevate thesaid lifting frame and thereby lift the load olf of the supporting sills1 in the manner indicated in Figure -1 of the drawings.

By reason of the fact that the sets of tracks 19 and 20 are inclined invaried degree, the lifting fra-.me will be lifted on an inclinationwhich is very desirable as will be clearly understood by reference toFigures 10 and l1 of the drawings. Then it is desired to convey a stackof boxes or the like which have been mounted beside and in engagementwith another stack of boxes, as indicated in Figure Yso 10, or inengagement with a wall as indicated in Figure 1K1, by lifting the saidstack of boxes Von an `inclined plat-form they are not lifted trulyvertical in a manner which would 5 cause them to rub against orinterlock with the boxes of the abutting stack but are lifted away fromand in angular relation to the abutting stack of boxes or the wall asindicated4 in the said Figures 10 and 11. When thus lifting the load onan inclination to` ward the rigid handle 11 an additional ad# vantage isoccasioned in that the loadis' more stable and less liable to topple olfthe truck while being conveyed over the warehouse floor.

Y In the said Figure referred to the series of stacks of boxes 'aremounted on a pair of supporting sills connected as indicated in Figure 4of the drawings. In the said Figure 11 the other type of supporting sillstructure hereinbefore referred to is indicated in which form thesupporting structure is carried with the load on thetruck. The two formsof supporting devices are kdisclosed merely to indicate the uses andadvantages of my improved lifting truck.

In Figure 8 I have disclosed the preferred embodiment of my invention inwhich the front and rear sets of trackways are positioned on varieddegrees of inclination and which contact theanti-friction rollers 14simultaneously. In this form of theA invention the degree of inclinationof the lifting frame varies progressively as the lifting actionprogresses so that the maximum inclination of l the lifting frame willnot @be eected until the vantages of my invention will berea'dily aplparent vto those skilled in the'art to which it f Ycompletely elevatedposition has beenreached. lThis gradually increasinginclination effect-Hing feature is particularly desirous for reasons above stated.

In Figure 9 of the'drawings I have ,dis-` closed a slightly modifiedarrangement of the lifting trackways. In this form of the invention thesets of trackways are indicated,

at 19a and 19b andY arranged on like angles. The tracks 191 are sopositioned that their function is retarded and they Vwill not contactVthe cooperating set of anti-friction rollers 14 until theA other set of.tracks 19a has started to ride up their cooperating set of rollers.Thus the desired inclination of the lifting l frame is accomplished bysets of trackways having the same inclination, but in this case thedegree of inclination of the said frame is uniform throughout the wholeof thelifting action.` y n v f From the foregoing description', taken inconnection with' the accompanying drawings, it is thought that thenovel'de'tails of construction, the manner of useand the adrelates. Y

What I claim is:

1. A lifting truck comprising a main frame, a lifting frame, and `meansincluding movable inclined planes and relatively ixedly located rollerscooperating with the respective frames to elevate the lifting frameabove the main frame and in inclined relation to the surface kupon whichthe truck is supported.

2. A lifting truck comprising a mainframe, alifting frame adaptednormally to rest on the main frame with its load engaging surfaceshorizontal, and `means including movable inclined planes and relativelyfixedly located rollers cooperating with the re spective frames toelevate vthe lifting frame above the main frame with its load engagingsurfaces inclined to thehorizontal in one direction. Y l f g 3. Alifting Vtruck comprising a main frame, a lifting frame, and meansincluding 'edly located rollers cooperating'with the re`i spectiveframes to elevate thelifting'frame e y'above the main frame and ininclinedrelation yto k,the surfacey upon which the truck is supn ported,said elevating'means including two sets of cooperative inclined ktrackand roller` equipments, the inclined tracks ofthe respective sets beinginclined onlvarying degrees of inclination relatively to the horizontal.

5. A lifting truck comprisingl a main wheeled frame, a liftingframeresting on the mainframe, a set of angled rails dependingA Lfrom eachend of the lifting frame, each set ofsai'd p, rails being positionedk onan angle varying from the angle of the other set of said rails7anti-friction elements carriedv by the mainframe and engagingthe rails,and means for exerting a pullagainst the lifting frame to cause therails to fride upwardly on the anti-friction elements tov raisethelifting frame on an inclined plane.

6. A4 liftingtruck comprising a main` wheeled frame, a lifting frameresting onl the mainframe, a set of angled rails depending lsaid. rails,anti-friction elements carried by vfromea'ch end of the liftingframe,.each set..n of said rails being positioned on an angle" the mainframe and engaging the rails, and i means for exerting apull against thelifting, frame to cause the rails to ride yupwardly onr theanti-frictionelements to raise ythe lifting rame on aninclined plane,said mainframe rails. e

having cutout portions toreceive ythe angled i whaeled frame, a liftingframe resting on the main frame, a set of angled rails depending fromeach end of the lifting frame7 each set of said rails being positionedon an angle varying from the angle of the other set of said rails,anti-friction elements carried by main frame and engaging the rails, andmeans for exerting a pull against the lifting frame to cause the railsto ride upwardly on the anti-friction elements to raise the liftingframe on an inclined plane, means to secure the lifting frame to thelifted position, said ull exerting means comprising a pivoted gell cranklever having its long arm terminate in a foot pedal and its short armlink connected to the lifting frame, and said securing means comprisinga lock latch adapted normally to lie in the latching position and havingprovision for being deflected by the bell crank long arm when forceddown to automatically latch over said arm after it passes, and means torelease said latch.

8. A lifting truck comprising a main frame having an angled extension atone end, wheels journaled at one end of the frame, a caster wheelsupported by the angled extension, a lifting frame normally resting onand having its body portion received in the main frame, load positioningstop elements carried by the main frame, downwardly arranged angularlydisposed rails carried by the lifting frame, anti-friction rollerscarried by the main frame and engaging the rails, a spring connectingthe lifting frame and the main frame to hold the lifting frame to itsnormal position, a handle rigidly secured to and upstanding from themain frame, a bell crank lever pivoted upon the main frame extension andhaving a long arm terminating in a foot pedal and a short arm, means toconnect the bell crank short arm with the lifting frame, a pivotedsecuring latch normally lying in position to latch over and lock downthe bell crank long arm, and releasable yieldable means carried by thehandle to hold the latch to its normal position, said latch having a camface for being automatically deflected to let the bell crank long armpass under it when pressed down.

9. A lifting truck comprising a main frame formed of inverted channelbeams to form an open rectangle having an angled eX- tension at oneend.` wheels rotatably mounted in and projecting beneath the framechannel beams near one end, a cross platform secured on the frameextension, a caster wheel depending from the platform, a handleprojecting upwardly from and rigidly mounted on the angled extension, alifting frame normally resting on the main frame, downwardly arrangedangularly positioned rails carried by the lifting frame, said main framechannel beams having cut out portions to receive the rails and permitthem to project down in said beams, anti-friction rollers carried insaid channel beams in engagement with the said rails, and means mountedon the cross platform and connected to the lifting frame to cause therails to ride upwardly longitudinally on the rollers to elevate thelifting frame.

lO. A lifting truck comprising a main frame formed of inverted channelbeams to form an open rectangle having an angled extension at one end,wheels rotatably mounted in and projecting beneath the frame channelbeams near one end, a cross platform secured on the frame extension, acaster wheel depending from the platform, a handle projecting upwardlyfrom and rigidly mounted on the angled extension, a lifting framenormally resting on the main frame, downwardly arranged angularlypositioned rails carried by the lifting frame, said main frame channelbeams having cut out port-ions to receive the rails and permit them toproject down in said beams, anti-friction rollers carried in saidchannel beams in engagement with the said rails, and means mounted onthe cross platform and connected to the lifting frame to cause the railsto ride upwardly longitudinally on the rollers to elevate the liftingframe, said rails being arranged in two individual sets, the rails ofeach set being disposed on like angles slightly varying from the angleon which the rails of the other set are arranged whereby to cause thelifting frame to be elevated on an inclined plane.

1l. A lifting truck comprising a main frame formed of inverted channelbeams to form an open rectangle having an angled extension at one end,wheels rotatably mounted in and projecting beneath the frame channelbeams near one end, a cross platform secured on the frame extension, acaster wheel depending from the platform, a handle projecting upwardlyfrom and rigidly lnounted on the angled extension, a lifting framenormally resting on the main frame, down- Wardly arranged angularlypositioned rails carried by the lifting frame, said main frame channelbeams having eut out portions to receife the rails and permit them toproject down in said beams, anti-friction rollers carried in saidchannel beams in engagement with the said rails, and means mounted onthe cross platform and connected to the lift-- ing frame to cause therails to ride upwardly longitudinally on the rollers to elevate thelifting frame, said rails being arranged in two individual sets, therails of each set being disposed on like angles slightly varying fromthe angle on which the rails of the other set are arranged and all saidrails being arranged to contact the rollers simultaneously whereby tocause the lifting frame to be elevated on an inclined plane whichgradually increases in degree of inclination as the lift isaccomplished.

l2. A lifting truck comprising a main frame, a lifting frame, and meansto eleva-te the lifting frame above the main frame and in inclinedrelation to the surface upon which the truck is supported, and rigidmeans on one of said frames and projecting into engagement with theother frame continuously to maintain said frames in interengaged re?lation.

ROWLAND G. HIBBARD.

